Excavator



Aug. 7, 1945. E, R. SNYDER 2,381,085

I EXCAVATOR Filed Jan. 8V, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 7, 1945. I E. R. SNYDER EXAvAToR Filed Jan. 8, 19'44 3 Sheets-Sl'lleet 2 btoonws Aug. 7, 1945. E. R. SNYDER ,EXCAVATOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 8 1944 Syvum/bom 1MM/MS Patented Aug.. 7, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT oFrlcE EXCAVATOE Ernest R. Snyder, Tempe, Ariz. y Application January 8, 1944, Serial No. 517,561

2 Claims. (Cl. 37-80) This invention relates to an excavator especially adapted for cleaning or deepening irrigation ditches, and has for the primary object the provision of a device of this character which will be capable of rapidly and eillciently cleaning or removing materials from ditches covering a large area within a minimum length'of time, so that the ditches may be kept in proper condition at a nominal cost.,

Another object of this invention is the provision oi a device of the above'stated character which ismotor propelled and includes pdwer driven cleaners acting to loo'sen the material within-the ditch and conveying such material from the ditch at each side thereof, utilizing the same power source for the cleaners `as used lfor the propulsion oi the device. l I

A further object of this invention is the provision of a device easily adjusted for operating yon ditches which vary as to depth as well as to width trating the journaling of one of the and the drive connection therefor.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view showing the drive for the traction wheels.

and the traction wheels of said device may be made to travel either on the surface of the ground at each side of the ditch or on the walls of the ditch, which permits the device to clean ditches Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing means for raising and lowering the steering or pilot wheel as well as the steering therefor.

Figure 9 is a perspective view illustrating one of the blades of the cleaners.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates a main frame supporting an internal combustion engine 6. The engine includes the usual variable speed -transmission 1 operatively connected to a differential 8 of a conventional construction including a differential housing 9 and drive axles I0. lA conventional clutch may be interposed between the transmission 'I and the 'diierential 8. 'I'he ends of the differential nous ing have pivotally connected thereon stub axle housings' II in which stub axles I2 are journaled and' have secured thereto traction wheels I3 arranged at opposite sides of the main frame 5. The stub axles I2 are connected to the drive axles l I0 of the differential by universal joints I4.

Arms I5 are formed on the stubfaxle housings II to which connecting links I8 are pivoted and which-are in turn pivotally connectedto feed stems I6' threaded in a sleeve I'l journaled on a mounting- I8 carried by the differential housingV '9. The sleeve I1 has a Worm gear I9 secured thereto which meshes with a worm 20 secured on For a complete understanding of my invention,`

arrangement of the cleaners so as to remove rnaterials from the bottom and sides of the ditch and deliver such materials onto the ground at opposite sides of the ditch. r

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view showing the means of adjusting the angle of inclination of the tractionwheels sothat said traction wheels may be made to travel on the surface of the ground or on the walls of the ditch.-

Figure 5 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional View showing a gearing arrangement for the driving of the cleaning elements in opposite directions.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary top plan view illus-lA an operating shaft 2l including a crank handle. This construction will permit the operator of the device to change the position of the traction wheels from the full line position shown in Figure V4 to the dotted line position shown in Figure 4.

The'traction wheels when adjusted vertically, as shown in dotted lines in-Figure 4, are for the purpose of supporting the device on the ground surface at the opposite sides of the 'ditch and when adjusted into the inclined positions as shown in Figure 4 are adapted to support the located closer to one end of the main framethan the other end andI said latter named end of the frame includes a vertically arranged bearing 22 in which is journaled a sleeve 23 having a worm gear 24 formed on its upper end and riding against the upper end of the bearing 22. A vertical spindle extends through the sleeve 23 and is splined or keyed thereto whereby the spindle may ground wheelsv zontally.

move vertically. Mounted on the sleeve and engaging the lower end of the bearing 22 -is a collar 2l equipped with a set screw' ,which locks the sleeve to the colla:l and alsoengages with the spindle to secure the latter -against vertical vslid,-l ing movement in the sleeve. However, the set screw 26 may be removed from engagement with the spindle and the latter adiusted vertically in 'the bearing. The lower erd of the spindle has iournaled thereon a. steering or pilot wheel 21. The worm gear 2l meshes with a' worm Il of a4v steering -rod 2t. The steering rod Il may form-'a :tiene be understod that une 'steering wnee1 il travels on thebottomwall of the ditch;

An auxiliary or cleaner frame Il is hinged on the rearend of the main frame. as shown at Il,

and includes a portion l! of substantially triangular shape with the apexthereoi disposed lowermost for operation within the ditch. The apex of the portion, of the fr e ll has Journaledther'eon sprocket gears 3 and the frame- V directly above the sprocket Bear rotatably supports a shaft 34. The frame also rotatably supports sprocket gears arranged at opposite ends 35 of the horizontalportlon-ot the frame 30 or at opposite sides of the shalt It and in a plane above and laterally of the sprocket gearsJt. Trained over the sprocket gears 13 and ,$5 are endless sprocket' chains 3l forming'parts of endless cleaners. v"I'he sprocket chains havex'secured thereto and arranged in spaced relation to one another,- di'ins or cleaning elements or blades Il which are adapted to act on'the bottom and sidewalls of the ditch carrying the material loosened thereby outwardly of the ditch at opposite sides thereof. 'me sprocket chains travel in the direc indicated by the arrows in Figure 3.

-Tne snm u includes seeaem one er whien a l iournaled in the frame and the other on the main frame l and the-'sectionsare-connected by a sears 44 and spider gears Il cause thesprocket I l to rotate in an opposite direction t6 the schoss l direction of rotation of thprocket gear I2 driven by the shaft Il. 'Ihisarrangmentbrings about -movement 'of the sprocket chains 1in opposite directionsto each other so that the lowermost runs s' of the sprocket chains travel in the direction indicated by the arrows in'` Figure 34 to cause the cleaning blades -81 to drag material from the ditch outwardly thereof at eachvside of said ditch from y,

the bottom thereof From the forego \nection with the accompanying. drawings it'wiil .be seen that a very. practical and compact device has beenprovided and which is especially adapted for removing material from irrigation ditches and 5 that the same power source used for the propulsion of the device=may also be employed Vfordriving the cleaners. Further, it will 'be seen that the cleaners operate from the bottom of the ditch and upwardly against' the walls of the ditch so as 0 to emcientLv remove material from the ditch ina direction from the bottom of the ditchoutwardly therefrom at opposite sides of the ditch resulting in elciently` clean .walls of theditch.

Further, it will be seen that .the cleaners are so mounted and connected withvthe power source of the device that the cleaners may rise and fall as,

they operate on the ditch walls. e

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood rne invention. what .I

.w' pable of being steered. said traction wheels includingf pivotally mounted stub axles, a power.

source on' the frame, a drive Ameans connecting the wheels to the stub axles and to said power.

source, and including universal ioints, mea ns 5 connected to the stub axles for varying the inclination offthevtraction wheels from a vertical positiomand an excavating mechanisml carried bythe frame operated by 'said drive means.

2. In anexcavator', a main frame, traction and steering wheels supporting said fragte, means for 4varying the inclination of said wheels from a ver# universel Joint as. 'me section-ceremony there44 *wel WH0 wherebyv the mam frm my le? mein frame ne geared tome dmernueistore- Milind 1MM "i-th www# thewund `ceive power therefrom. lheother section of the' WwW-"lume 9 .the mm "wel 9' dvemm shaft Il operates with a gearing mechanism It 55 www the traction wheels to the power supported by a suitable housing l. to the 59W l' ubfrme. hinged t0 .the mi fume and frame It by hangen 4I. Sprocket gearsll and 'umm 5- @mtiny trilmull' m P01" y are imported bythe man. outside or the* Wm mi *De* dwed-lwemqt www hoising 4l and have the sprocket chains, l! "hadi- W-mled 0n nl?, lubflm @M ul-.mad merover; The sprocket se n is med so thallia-#ramolli over Bald sprocket-wheels and ar- 'to the mfg-u while uitspraak mr n u thereby each in substantially llll'llled thereOn. Beveled sears u are formed shaped formation and mounted for movement in integren: with the meer geen u manana www dirwtiom to Veach other.- gearine :er I mn 'im thelhmms and n.- connectd by u driving said sprocket chains in a reverse direc semer gem u :omnes in me housing u. 'rue e; 0n fm1 14 dri mem mamma blies# wj cured -to chains.

ma description-teken m eenmg material from su that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without` fr literariai,4 

